DRINKING Continued from Page 1 or dismiss them Among those who spoke Thursday was Rill Rice, president of Lane County's Mothers Against Drunk Driving Rice told the crowd the story of his 26-year-old son. Michael, who was killed by a 16-year-old high school student in December 1666 The boy was racing from one party to another. Rice said, and was drunk whon he smashed into Michael’s car. Michael had started a business. The Pizza An swer. in 1985 with his identical twin brother. Mark. Michael was out on a delivery near Agate Street when ho was hit. Rice, who was living in Tacoma at the time, tells the crowd about the call he got from Mark, the drive to Eugene with his wife, and the first time ho sot foot in Sacrod Heart Hospital "The nurse talked to us for a few minutes about what to expect when wo went in them." Rice said, "but she could have talked for three or four days and it wouldn't have prepared us for what we saw." Michaol was hooked up to "ovory machine you could think of." He had been thrown from the car and sufferer! severe brain dumage. His mother, Carol, held his hand that day and thought she felt Michael squeeze it. Rice said They hoped for the best, but it was not to be. Rice spent the next several days, Including Christmas, in the hospital with Michaol. "I had more conversations with Michael during those 10 days than I had ever had with him Im foro,” Rice said, us some audience members be gan to cry. "I remember Michael every day. and now that it's getting close to Christmas, it's hard again." Michael remained in a coma for 11 days and died Dec. 30. Rice now co-awns The Pi/./.a Answer with Mark, who recorded an award-winning Public Service Announcement about the accident and the phone call he made to his parents telling them what had happened Above the office door is a picture of Michael and his yellowing obituary Rice looks at the photo and talks about what it is that compels him to speak at high schools, at the University, at the panels and to so many other audiences. "It is hard.” he said "A lot of us get burned out and have to stop speaking for awhile "My motives, I feel, are worthy." Rice said "Every once in a while I wonder if I try to keep Michael alive through this I really don't want to forget him. Not a day goes by that I don t think of him "But the pain s not there like it was that first year The first year was like someone tearing the inside of my stomach out every time I thought of ‘Every once In a while I wonder If I try to keep Michael alive through this. I really don’t want to forget him. Not a day goes by that I dont think of Mm.’ — Bill Rice, L ane County MADD president him " And Kice knows he's making a difference Kids often thank him after a presentation and even Thursday's crowd told him how much they ap preciated the efforts The audience fills out com ment cards after each panel und, with only two or three exceptions, the comments are overwhelm ingly positive. ''I've opened my eyes to things that didn't seem important before.” one person wrote "Victims are real, not news stories, and 1 know now 1 could bo a victim or a killer." "I fool lucky that I was the only one who will regret what I did," one wrote "1 understand that I was wrong, and I. Ish>. have lost a loved one to a drunk driver," another wrote "That is why 1 fi*el so low for what I've done I don't think people realize the pain they can cause until they are in a program like this I hope it affixes others like it did me." Several of the comments are directed specifical ly at thanking Donny Durrani, u speaker who lie gan by telling the crowd, "When I hx>k at you all. I'm looking at a reflection in a mirror I was just like you " Durrunt. who broke his nock when he crushed his car in 1976 when he was 22. has no fueling below his chest, cannot walk and has very limited use of his hands and arms Durrunt started drinking at IS. dropped out of school, and soon became an alcoholic, he said At that time, drinking and driving laws were not what they are now He was often stopped and just told by police offic ers u> pour out his Injur and go home. Durrunt said One Saturday night, after a lot of beer and whiskey at a party, Durrunt headed home with a young passenger His last memory of the night is leaving her house after dropping her off His irash left hint with a broken n«i and In the hospital for four and a half months But the crash came after he had been stopped three times that night hv officers, all of whom let hirii go with only minor ( nations "All those times the policemen made me pour my beer out, they didn't do my any favors," Dur rani said "The three times I was let go the night Turn to DRINKING Pago 12 r10% off" anything] IN THE STORE I at LAZAR’S BAZAR Regular I or eale Price | I DR MARTENS VANS CONVERSE 57 W Broadway and 957 Willamette Downtown Mall POSTERS I VISION I LA GEAR COSTS ARE UP! 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